A Delaware judge has ruled that Deadspin, a sports blog, can face a defamation lawsuit for making false claims that a nine-year-old Kansas City Chiefs fan wore blackface at a game.
In 2023, Deadspin writer Carron Phillips falsely accused nine-year-old Holden Armenta of wearing blackface during a Chiefs game. Phillips's article, titled "The NFL needs to speak out against the Kansas City Chiefs fan in Black face, Native headdress," displayed only half of Holden's face, painted with black and red Kansas City Chiefs face paint, and accused him of finding a way to "hate Black people and the Native Americans at the same time."
Holden's parents, Raul Jr. and Shannon Armenta, filed a defamation lawsuit in February, alleging that Deadspin intentionally and maliciously attacked Holden by selectively posting only one half of his face and accusing them of racism.
Deadspin's Defamatory Attack on Young Chiefs Fan Leads to Lawsuit
On Monday, Superior Court Judge Sean Lugg denied Deadspin's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, ruling that the blog published "provable false assertions" as facts. Judge Lugg specifically cited Deadspin's accusations that Holden wore blackface and a Native headdress to display his hatred for Black people and Native Americans, which he asserted were "provable false statements of fact."
Despite the lawsuit and Judge Lugg's ruling, Deadspin has not retracted the defamatory article. Instead, the blog added an editor's note, stating that it regretted any suggestion that it was attacking Holden or his family and that the article had been updated to remove his identifying information and revise the headline. However, the original article remains accessible on Deadspin's website.
Deadspin's Defamatory Attack on Young Chiefs Fan Leads to Lawsuit
Deadspin has also attempted to evade accountability by arguing that the lawsuit should have been filed in California, where the Armenta family resides, rather than Delaware, where Deadspin's parent company, G/O Media, is located. This argument was rejected by Judge Lugg, who ruled that G/O Media's sale of Deadspin to Lineup Publishing one month after the lawsuit was filed did not affect the court's jurisdiction.
Defamation can have severe consequences, including damage to reputation, emotional distress, and financial losses. Holden Armenta and his family have suffered greatly from Deadspin's baseless accusations, which have subjected them to public ridicule and scrutiny.
Deadspin's Defamatory Attack on Young Chiefs Fan Leads to Lawsuit
The lawsuit against Deadspin serves as a reminder that media outlets must be held accountable for their false and defamatory statements. Deadspin's reckless disregard for the truth and its refusal to retract its malicious allegations are a clear violation of journalistic ethics.
The ruling in this case sends a message that individuals will not be subject to false and damaging accusations without recourse. Defamation laws are essential for protecting people from harmful and untruthful speech that can cause irreparable harm.
Deadspin's Defamatory Attack on Young Chiefs Fan Leads to Lawsuit
The media plays a vital role in society, and it is imperative that journalists adhere to the highest standards of ethics and accuracy. Deadspin's actions have eroded public trust in journalism and demonstrated the dangers of unchecked misinformation.
The Armenta family, the public, and the journalistic community demand that Deadspin retract its defamatory article and issue a formal apology to Holden and his family. Only then can Deadspin begin to repair the damage it has caused.
